DEANS OF DOCTORAL PROGRAMS IN NURSING AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS.
Contributors: University of Arkansas (Fayetteville campus)
Published: 1983
Number of pages: 140
Subjects: Education, Administration.
Description: The educational leadership roles of deans of doctoral programs in nursing has been inadequately studied. The purposes of this study were to identify the views that incumbent deans of doctoral programs held about their roles and functions as educational leaders and to determine the implications of these views for the preparation of future deans of doctoral programs in nursing.

Procedures. Data were obtained by conducting taped interviews with 19 deans of doctoral programs in nursing. The findings were presented in tabular and narrative form utilizing the format of the interview guide. The interview guide was developed by modifying the guide used by E. McGriff in her 1967 study of graduate nursing deans.

Findings and Conclusions. An educational leader must be knowledgeable of trends in higher education, be prepared to speak out on nursing issues and assume national roles in the professional organizations. The educational leadership roles and functions to which deans ascribed priority were faculty leadership, facilitation of faculty research productivity, and professional leadership. The responsibility of the curriculum belonged to the faculty. The responsibility of the dean to the profession was found to be greater because of the expectations the profession had which the doctoral programs were expected to meet.

Educational preparation in psychology, sociology, and administration, previous faculty positions, a cadre of qualified faculty members, and the support of the university central administration were viewed as facilitators of educational leadership; whereas declining financial resources were viewed as constraints. The activities and publications of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing were perceived to be extremely beneficial to the educational leader.

Incumbent deans advocated that aspirants to the deanship of a doctoral program in nursing should obtain educational preparation in nursing, be established as scholars, clinicians, and researchers, and be recognized as national professional leaders. In order to fulfill the expectations of the profession for these leadership roles, aspirants must develop leadership and administrative skills, and be able to delegate responsibility wisely. Administrative and leadership skills are central to the deanship of a doctoral program in nursing.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-08, Section: A, page: 2334.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, 1983.

School code: 0011.